224 Bee Tent. 



THE SWEAT THEORY. 



It is often stated that sweaty horses and people are obnoxious 

 to the bees, and hence almost sure targets for their barbed 

 arrows. In warm weather I perspire most profusely, yet am 

 scarcely ever stung, since I have learned to control my nerves. 

 I once kept my bees in the front yard — they looked beautiful 

 on the green lawn — within two rods of a main thoroughfare, 

 and not infrequently let my horse, covered with sweat upon 

 my return from a drive, crop the grass, while cooling off, right 

 in the same yard. Of course, there was some danger, but I 

 never knew my horse to get stung. Why, then, the theory? 

 May not the more frequent stings be consequent upon the 

 warm, nervous condition of the individual? The man is more 

 ready to strike and jerk, the horse to stamp and switch. The 

 switching of the horse's tail, like the whisker trap of a full 

 beard, will anger even a good-natured bee. I should dread 

 the motions more than the sweat, though it may be true that 

 there is a peculiarity in the odor from either the sensible or 

 insensible perspiration of some persons, that angers the bees 

 and provokes the use of their terrible weapons. 



Often when there is no honey to gather, as when we take 

 the last honey in autumn, or prepare the bees for winter, the 

 bees are inordinately cross. This is especially true of black 

 bees and hybrids. At such times I have found an invaluable 

 aid in 



THE BEE TENT. 



This also keeps all robbers from mischief. It is simply a 

 tent which entirely covers the hive, bees, bee-keeper and all. 

 The one I use (Fig. 101) is light, large, and easily moved, or 

 folded up if we wish to put it in the house. The sides are 

 rectangular frames made of light pine strips, well placed (Fig. 

 101, b, 6), and covered with wire cloth. The top and ends are 

 covered with factory cloth, except at one end, where it is 

 fastened at will by rings which hook over screws. The sides 

 have no permanent connection of wood except at the ends 

 (Fig. 101, c, c). The small strips which connect at these 

 places are double, and hinged to the side frames, and the two 

 parts of each hinged together. Thus these may drop, and so 

 permit the side frames to come close together when we wish to 

 "fold our tent." The sides ai'e kept apart by center cross- 



